Meeting MrsCameron
by kateandroger
Summary: [Part 9] Hilarity ensues when Laura and Kate go home for a week towing along Ted and Roger.
1. Chapter 1

"Roger, you do know you don't have to come with me to visit my mother, do you?"

"Yes, dear."

"You're sure you want to visit?"

"Yes, dear."

"I strongly advise against it."

"Your mother can't possibly be so horrible that I need to be refrained from meeting her. And hurry up, it's almost three already! The flight leaves in half an hour!"

Kate and Laura were going to visit their mother for a few weeks, with Ted and Roger tagging along. Ted and Laura had very nearly the exact same conversation Kate and Roger had, except with a few more words.

Kate rushed out of the building carrying three suitcases expertly packed. Kate was a seasoned traveler, after all. Laura and Ted were taking Ted's car, and were probably at the airport waiting for them. As Kate dashed into the car, she slammed the door shut and off they went.

*New York Airport*

"Kate!" cried Laura as they met each other at the airport, hugging her. "Roger!" Laura gave him a peck on the cheek. "We better get on the airplane quickly. Ted was so impatient that he already boarded the plane." She sighed. "Honestly.." Laura relapsed into her usual bubbly self. "Oh, but wait until Mother sees us! She'd positively have a heart attack over Ted and Roger, and then scold us because our dresses are creased or something like that."

They were, in fact, flying Pan Am, but not on the same flight as the other gals.


	2. Chapter 2

*Hours later*

They touched down in Connecticut. Everyone stepped off of the plane into Airport. Laura sniffed the air and joked that it was "good to smell clean air again". They went to pick up their luggage and left the airport, hailing a taxi. "Take us to 728 Sherbrook Street. In Bristol," instructed Kate to the driver. "It's on the west end of town."

They were dropped off at home, and Ted took it upon himself to tip (fighting off Roger- "Let me- no really, I insist!"And Ted 'accidentally' knocked Roger's wallet to the floor of the car so he couldn't pay). was in the lawn, carrying plates and walking towards the house. It looked like she was cleaning up what was left from a one o' clock meeting with and the other DAR gossips in the backyard. She saw her two daughters standing in front of two men and opened her mouth in shock, but quickly composed herself and walked up to her daughters and grabbed them by the ears.

"Ouch, mother!" cried out Kate and Laura in unison.

"Inside, NOW." dragged her daughters towards the house. Ted snickered, but Roger had the decency to stay composed.

As soon as they got inside, dropped them in chairs and began scolding them.

"You have some explaining to do, young ladies," said threateningly. "You know what I told you about bringing home riffraff Katherine! And you didn't even tell us you were coming!" Remembering that there was _two_men outside, she added, "teaching your sister bad habits-"

"Mother, he's my fiancée!" retorted Kate, slightly offended that Roger was referred to as 'riffraff'. She shared a bewildered look with Laura.

"That sleazy looking man is your fiancée and you didn't even think to call home?!" reached over and pinched Kate's ear.

"Ow," yelped Kate, rubbing her earlobe.

"You're lucky it wasn't more, Katherine."

"He's really nice, mother," interrupted Laura.

"Don't you get into this Laura! And you bringing home who knows who- at least he looks respectable.. he wasn't snickering like an immature adolescent.."

Laura and Kate shared another look.

"Mother, who do you think is in a relationship with who?" Cried out both of them, baffled.

gave a condescending look, and replied, "The nice handsome blond one is obviously smitten with Laura,"

Kate, who wanted to burst out after "smitten with Laura", held her tongue until her mother finished.

"and that riffraff with dark hair- probably a womanizer –is Kate's fiancée."

"Mother, you have it backwards," exclaimed Kate.

Shocked, turned to Laura. "You can do better than this, Laura! You honestly have more choices than Kate, you don't need to be in a relationship with some like-"

"I love him!"

"You don't know what you're talking about Laura, your sister has obviously hypnotized you in some way, acting as scandalously as you do now! You were always such a sweet little girl."

Incredulously, Laura shared a glance with her sister, surprised that their mother had actually believed what Kate had told her.

* * *

Outside, Ted and Roger were standing around awkwardly and tried to strike up a conversation.

"So, uh, what do you do for a living," asked Ted.

"I'm a reporter," replied Roger.

"Funny, you don't seem to act like one. You know the usual sneaky, womanizing, heavy on the alcohol.."

"I'm certainly not like that," said Roger, managing a tiny smile. "And you're a co-pilot, right?"

"First officer," replied Ted with a grimace. "First officer."


	3. Chapter 3

Back to the girls..

Judith ( ) huffed. She very, very, rarely argued with Laura. Kate was usually the troublemaker, and though trying to be an accepting, open-minded, mother, she still usually gave Kate a hard time about, well, _everything_. Joseph ( ), was usually disapproving of Kate also, but not as much as her mother, so she had managed to avoid a few spats with Kate because of his intervening. But Kate was still weary of her mother (even going so far as discouraging Roger from coming along, as you read), and Judith was still disapproving of her daughter. She managed a tight smile, and said, "Well Laura, I'm sure your.. your.. companion, must be a nice young man. And, well, I must be _so_ blessed to have you married before old age, Katherine."

Kate gritted her teeth to prevent a snide remark from slipping out.

Laura let out an audible gasp at this, feeling indignation for her sister. Unfortunately, Joseph was at work; therefore not able to protect _his_ favorite daughter. Judith continued. "Why don't you girls have your men come inside?" Though her sincerity was obviously faked, both Kate and Laura went outside to fetch their "men". When the left the house Judith let out a noise of frustration, but tried to calm herself down by noting the fact that Laura was only 23, and surely, a marriage would happen soon. Surely her companion was a respectable young man. She prayed fervently that he proposed soon, and it would be even better if he proposed during their stay.

When Kate and Laura went outside, they found Ted and Roger walking disinterestedly in the backyard. There was something more to this, though. Something strange was going on. Kate and Laura stared at them for a few moments, and sure enough, they spotted something. Ted walked around the backyard three times, then walked up to Roger (walking in the opposite direction) and said a few words. Roger responded and then threw his hand behind Ted and poked him in the neck. Ted looked astonished, and they both walked their separate ways for a few paces before Ted suddenly jerked around and attempted to jab Roger in the back, but Roger caught Ted's hand swiftly. Ted's face showed disappointment, but Roger seemed to be comforting him. They went over the same process a few more times before the girls approached them.

"Ahem," coughed Kate loudly.

Roger spun around. "Oh, sorry Kate, Ted and I were, erm, testing our reflexes," he said, embarrassed.

"I noticed," replied Kate with a slight smirk. "Mother wants to meet you both," she added, turning to Ted. "Be prepared to not let her get to you."


	4. Chapter 4

They entered the house and made their way to the living room, where Judith was sitting on a loveseat. Upon seeing the guys, she stood up. Kate (being the braver of the two of them) took this as a cue and stepped forward with Roger.

Roger turned on his 'charming' mode. "Roger Anderson." He took Judith's hand. "You must be Katherine's mother. I can see where she and Laura get her looks from." He smiled and kissed her hand, with enough charisma that made a seemingly cheesy action, classy.

Judith actually blushed a little. Roger turned to Ted and told him he meant the compliment innocently, and Ted waved it off, saying that it was fine.

"I hope we can talk more, especially concerning the engagement," said Judith, after her face returned to its normal shade.

"Of course." Roger threw in a winning smile.

Ted and Laura stepped forward, and Ted offered his hand also.

"Ted Vanderway." Ted gave her a light shake of the hand. "Your daughter is very unique," he said as an attempt to please Judith. Inspired by Roger, he also added, "She's very well-mannered, and I can see it's because of her mother." It was the hardest compliment Ted had ever given… it also didn't hit home. Judith smiled wanly.

Judith brought out snacks. She smiled at Roger and asked him what he'd like to drink. He replied that he was fine, and that she didn't need to waste any energy preparing a drink for someone who didn't need one. Such a lovely, thoughtful, young man, she thought.

"Are you sure you don't want gin.. with peter?" asked Kate. She and Roger shared a look and both concealed smiles.

"No, I think not," replied Roger, for the benefit of .

Judith asked her girls, and they both replied a glass of lemonade would be nice. Then she went to Ted, and he replied that he'd like a scotch. Though this was a perfectly harmless request, and Judith had _asked_ him what he wanted, she was somewhat annoyed by his response, because Roger had acted much more like a gentleman, almost chivalrously.

While Judith was in the kitchen hunting for scotch, the others munched on sandwiches. Ted and Laura sat across from Kate and Roger. Ted motioned for Kate and Laura to lean towards him. "For some reason, I get the feeling your mother doesn't like me," he confessed. "Now why would you think that?" asked Kate with a smile. Laura replied along the same lines, although she probably meant it. Ted still seemed a bit uneasy. This time he consulted Kate only, because she seemed to be more rational than Laura. "Really though, I haven't done anything wrong, have I? Did I step on her flower bed or something?"

"Mother's always like this," replied Kate with a small sigh. "I told you that you had to get used to it. Normally, she'd ignore your 'flaws', since you're dating her dear little Laura, but with Roger around so set the example.." she trailed off.

Ted got the idea. "Not easy to win over, is she?"

Kate just shook her head. Ted leaned back into the sofa and finished off his sandwich. Judith soon came over with two glasses of lemonade, a glass of scotch, an iced tea, and a glass of water with a slice of lemon on it. She handed the drinks out, saving the iced tea for herself. When she handed Roger the glass of water, she said that he'd probably need something to wash down the sandwiches. He replied that she was too kind, and once again Judith tried to prevent color from flooding her cheeks.

While Roger sipped his water elegantly, the girls gulped down lemonade, and Ted drank generous amounts of scotch. Obviously, there were three empty glasses after a few minutes. Laura went to refill her and Kate's lemonade, and Ted went to refill his scotch.

Seizing this alone time with Kate and Roger, she eagerly asked about the engagement.

"Katherine, may I see your ring?" was her first question. With a small grimace, she showed her mother her hand. "It's beautiful," she gushed.

"It was my mother's," Roger added.

"I'm sure she was an elegant woman," smiled Judith. If only Joseph's mother was half as elegant, she thought, glancing at her own ring. Judith's ring wasn't 's mother's though; it was bought from a jewelry shop.

"Now," began Judith again, "when were you two engaged?"

"Valentine's day," replied Kate, forgetting for a moment where she was. She fondly remembered the moment when Roger slipped the ring on her hand.

"In beautiful England," finished Roger.

"Ah-you're British, I take it?"

"Yes."

"I thought that accent seemed British!" Judith thought she'd never be so lucky. "What do you do for a living? Forgive me if I seem a bit nosy, but it is my daughter you're engaged to!"

"No, not at all. I'm a chief journalist for the London Post." He threw in another smile to convince her.

At first, Judith seemed a little bit suspicious of his being a journalist. He seemed to be a gentleman, she mused, and his suit didn't look worn, rather, it looked almost new. If he was a journalist, he probably wasn't like the others, and he probably did enough work to afford at least a middle-class lifestyle. He was a chief journalist too, which had a better ring to it. And his smile seemed genuine.. it sealed the deal.

"That's wonderful!" Judith thought for a moment. "Maybe I'll have Katherine bring me a copy one day."

"Mailing it to you would be no problem for me."

"Oh, marvelous. When do you think we'll have the wedding? And where?"

Kate looked at Roger. "Summer..?" No, too hot, she thought. Roger shrugged, not totally for, but not totally against the idea. "Fall, then." Spring would be too early, and winter too cold. Roger nodded in agreement. "Where? Um.. London wouldn't be such a bad idea, would it Roger?" Roger nodded violently. His hometown would be excellent. Kate smiled and pronounced confidently, "Tell those DAR gossips that it's going to happen Fall 1964, in London, England."

Judith clapped her hands in excitement. "Oh, wait 'til Irene hears about this," she whispered with a mischievous air.


	5. Chapter 5

This exchange took a few minutes, and Laura and Ted returned soon. Judith turned to her younger daughter.

"When did you meet.. Edward?"

"Meet? About two weeks after I joined Pan Am. Come into a relationship with.. that's kind of hard to tell."

"I see. Are you going to attend your sister's wedding?"

"Of course! But Kate hasn't set a date yet, right?"

"No, it's just going to happen sometime in the fall," reassured Kate. "I'll send you both invitations the second we know."

"One moment, everyone." Judith dashed towards the phone, dialing Irene's number (Irene is someone from the DAR she doesn't particularly like).

"What was that about?" asked Ted, puzzled.

"I think she wants to call Irene," replied Kate.

"Ah." Laura nodded.

"Who's Irene?" The explanation didn't clear anything up for Ted.

"Someone she doesn't like," answered Laura.

"Makes sense." Ted thought for a moment. "Wait, why is she calling her, though?"

"Probably to brag about me and Roger's fall London wedding."

"Mhmm."

The rest of the day passed fairly uneventfully. Kate and Roger slept in Kate's old room, and Laura and Ted in Laura's old room. The meeting of Joseph and his daughter's beaus happened the next morning.

* * *

Joseph opened Kate's door. "Kate, it's lovely to see you home-" he saw Kate and Roger sharing the bed. "I'll, uh, leave now." He cleared his throat and started to shut the door.

"Daddy, wait! It's okay, I have clothes on!" Kate jumped out of bed, and pointed at her nightgown. "The fiancée is clothed too, thank you very much."

"Thank goodness you're clothed," replied . "Wait, fiancée?"

She signaled Roger to get up, also. He stood up in his pajamas, and walking towards Kate's father, stopping a few feet away from him, and said, "Good morning, . It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine," replied curiously. He stuck out his hand. "Please, call me Joseph."

Roger grasped Joseph's hand and shook it firmly. "Roger. Roger Anderson."

Joseph patted Roger on the back. "Good luck with this one," he laughed.

"Daddy!"

"You know it's me, Katie dear." Joesph's eye sparkled.

As they were gathered around the table, eating breakfast, Joseph fired questions off at Roger, and later Ted.

"Where do you live?"

"I was born and raised in London."

"What do you do for a living, Roger?"

"I work as a chief journalist for the London Post."

And finally, "Again, Roger, good luck with this one," he said, gesturing at Kate. "When she was ten, she picked fights with older boys- and she won!" He laughed some more. "I'd never thought Katie was ever going to settle down. She was very much a tease in-"

"I think that's enough, Daddy," interjected Kate. "And don't forget about Laura and her guy." Ted gave her a dirty look. Kate just winked back at him.

"Oh yes, my little girl. Yellow Rose of Bristol." Joseph smiled, turning his focus towards Laura. "How is being a stewardess, Laura?"

"It's wonderful, Daddy! You get to travel around the world, taste new foods, meet new people.. You should come with us sometime!"

"Maybe one of these days, sweetheart. Now how's this boy of yours?"

"His name is Ted, and he's our co-pilot. He's absolutely wonderful. You know how I accidentally sold Dan's ring?"

"You what?" Judith almost dropped her fork onto the dining room floor.

"Well, Ted gave up his Rolex to give it back."

"That was very good of you Ted. I like it when a man respects my daughter- or daughters," he said, nodding at Roger and Kate. "Or else they have to answer to me." Joseph got up and reached out his arm.

Ted reluctantly rose out of his chair to shake hands with Joseph.

"You two engaged?" Kate and Laura's dad asked the dreaded question. Womanizing, arrogant, hardheaded Ted, and kind, but naïve, Laura had never officially called each other boyfriend or girlfriend, and they had only recently gotten back together again- if what happened a few months ago counted as breaking up.

"No, Daddy," replied Laura nervously.

"What? Well, you must've only gotten together recently, then."

"It's.. it's complicated, Daddy."

"Surely Kate and Roger have been together longer than you two have."

Kate and Roger gave each other side glances.

"Are you planning to be engaged?" Joseph looked expectantly at his youngest daughter and her boyfriend. They both stayed silent. "I'd never thought I'd say this Laurie, but your relationship seems a bit more scandalous than Katie's at the moment."

To change the topic (which she brought up, to change the topic), Kate coughed and told her father that "Roger and I are getting married this coming fall, Daddy."

Momentarily distracted, Joseph looked at his oldest daughter. "Oh, you are?" Kate nodded. "Where is it going to be? Because your wedding invitations will shock the pants off of your past boyfriends, and basically everyone else in Bristol who knows you, Katie."

"Daddy!" Whispering to Roger, she said, "He's exaggerating."

"We all know I'm not, Katherine Beatrice Cameron."

Sighing, Kate told her father that the wedding would be in London.

"That's a bit expensive," he remarked.

"Only the best for the Camerons, right?" joked Kate. "Besides, Daddy, Pan Am will give you and mother a discount."

"I never heard a word about discounts," accused Joseph.

"It's because you never asked," answered Kate cheekily.

"Wait a moment, I thought you said it would be free, Katherine?" Judith, still stunned from her younger daughter's scandalous behavior, asked confusedly.

"Erm, it's free to change classes once you're on the plane. The tickets still cost money, mother."

[I hope you've noticed by now that Joseph is a much more laid back parent. He is also Kate and Laura's confidante, along with being their best friend. He always favored Kate a little bit more, though, because besides being the firstborn, Kate has a more fiery spirit, which she may have inherited from her father.]

"Katherine, you could tell me that you were pregnant now, and I don't think I would be surprised anymore," sighed Judith.

The stay went by _fabulously_. Judith learned to accept Ted a little bit. Joseph had some man to man time with the boys (he found that behind Roger's exterior, there was a lot of fire- just like Kate, and also enjoyed Ted's slightly raunchy sense of humor). Laura and Kate met with old friends. The stay, which at times seemed like a bad idea, was finally over.

_Everyone has a birthday, but you've never seen one like Kate and Roger's. Stay tuned for- "The Anderson-Cameron Birthday Parties"._


End file.
